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Newsletter Ιούλιος 2013

ANALYSIS

Marinas and Small Ports

Privatisations of marinas and small ports are set to spur dynamism at high end of tourism sector.

Concessions of marinas and small ports throughout the country, one of the key components of Greece’s privatisation programme, overseen by the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund, could bring in new waves of high-value tourists.

The Hellenic Republic's portfolio currently contains 850 small ports and 115 marinas. The privatisation of small ports and marinas is part of the "Nereids" Project, which contributes to the development of tourist ports by granting long-term concessions to 46 marinas located throughout Greece.

Concession rights to operate, maintain and further develop a number of marinas and cruise ports for 40 years will be granted through a series of international open tenders.

The marinas and ports are bundled in groups or offered individually. In addition to an upfront fee, a share of the revenue will also be apportioned to the Hellenic Republic.

Hub & SatelliteThe main feature of the new small port and marina strategy is the classification of existing hubs into two categories, hub marinas and satellite ports, which then allows for development of strategic marina clusters.

Hub marinas are those that are existing and/or constructed tourist ports which have been “site planned” according to the National Legislation. They offer close proximity to a major airport as well as proximity to a city or to important archaeological sites and/or tourist attractions. Due to their heavier traffic, hub marinas offer significant berth size.

Satellite marinas have been selected to complement chosen hub marinas. They are located nearby other hubs or satellites in the cluster, providing easy accessibility for marine tourists. Satellite ports have been allocated in different clusters so that the total number of berths does not exceed 1,600.

Development of Luxury and Mega Yacht MarinasAt the same time, in line with growing demand for higher value services and the need to facilitate larger yachts, several ports throughout the country have been flagged for an upgrade.

Several marinas throughout the country—including Mykonos and Argostoli—have been selected for “Luxury Marina” status. The criteria for the selection of Luxury Marinas include:

• Proximity to international and/or national airport• Located in an area with high tourist awareness • Minimum capacity of 200 berths• Sufficient adjacent upland area for development• Sufficient operational depths under the low sea level

The port of Lavrio in mainland Greece has been selected for upgrade to a Mega Yacht Marina—offering nearby access to Athens International Airport and providing all services necessary for the largest yachts.

Value AddedGreece has always been Europe’s preferred destination for sailing and yacht enthusiasts. The new national marina strategy, coupled with the inflow of private investment, could make it the world’s premier on-board getaway—a win-win for the public sector, private sector, and inbound tourists.

A privatisation programme will inject capital and competitiveness into the nation’s ports of call, and the formation of marine clusters will improve the quality and efficiency of Greece’s marine tourism product. And linking satellites to hubs will keep yachts returning to Greek ports, generating added value across the marine network.

In parallel, upgraded services in strategic ports will help Greece attract high-end tourists from other destinations throughout the Mediterranean.

Most important, the programme underway will create hundreds of jobs and will offer a significant boost to local economies and communities across the country.

ConcessionThe plan for marina and small port privatisations will be in the form of concession of the right to use, operate, manage and exploit the tourist ports—not in the form of a sale of the port facility.

After the end of the concession, the port facility will return to the Hellenic Republic, including new infrastructure developed by investors.

Each tender process from launch until final phase and signing is estimated to last six to nine months.